Author name: Omar Rodríguez

Erling Haaland returned to the starting lineup and secured Manchester City’s victory against Tottenham with a goal in the 12th minute. The Spurs put up a fight, but City held firm. With 47 points, the Sky Blues move up to fourth place in the Premier League standings. Haaland the Hero for the Cityzens After two consecutive defeats against Real Madrid and Liverpool, Manchester City got back to winning ways thanks to a lone goal from Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker had watched those two losses from the bench, but in his return to the starting XI, he delivered a crucial victory for his team against Tottenham. The match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium started well for the visitors. From the outset, the “Android” showed his danger with an early chance, but Spurs’ goalkeeper came up with a vital save to deny him. However, Haaland’s killer instinct paid off just 12 minutes into the game. Jérémy Doku received the ball on the left flank, skillfully worked his way into the box, and sent in a low cross. A slight deflection altered the ball’s path, allowing Haaland to simply tap it into the net at the far post. The Tottenham keeper, already diving to his left due to the play’s momentum, was left helpless. Following Haaland’s goal, City controlled the rest of the first half, creating several promising attacks. However, Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made key saves, while City’s attackers struggled with precision, preventing them from extending their lead. City Clings to a Hard-Fought Victory The second half turned into a real struggle for Manchester City, as Tottenham relentlessly pushed forward in search of an equalizer. Ederson made crucial saves, while Spurs’ finishing woes kept City alive. The visitors barely survived until the final whistle, with the game’s climax delivering high drama. In the 94th minute, Haaland found the back of the net once again, seemingly sealing the match. However, after a detailed VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to handball. In a physical challenge with two defenders, the Norwegian striker controlled the ball near his chest but unintentionally used his left arm, leading to the controversial decision. Immediately after the disallowed goal, Tottenham had one last chance but failed to convert, leaving City relieved at the final whistle. With this result, City breathes a sigh of relief, climbing to fourth place in the Premier League with 47 points. They are now just one point behind third-place Nottingham Forest, but only one and three points ahead of Chelsea (5th) and Newcastle (6th). This means City’s season finale will be crucial if they want to secure a Champions League spot. Meanwhile, Tottenham remains in the bottom half of the table with 33 points, tied with Manchester United, but ahead on goal difference, placing them 13th in the standings. Cover photo: X (@ManCity)

Liverpool secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad, with goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai. The Reds now lead the Premier League with 64 points, 11 ahead of Arsenal. Liverpool Ends Winless Streak at the Etihad After nearly three years, Liverpool finally triumphed at Manchester City’s home ground. Salah was instrumental in the victory, opening the scoring in the 14th minute after a well-executed corner play. His deflected shot found the back of the net to give the Reds the lead. City had a moment of hope when Omar Marmoush scored, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Liverpool then sealed the win as Salah set up Szoboszlai, who placed his shot past Ederson for the 2-0 final score. Salah Chasing Records With a goal and an assist in the match, Salah has now tallied 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 games. With nine matches left, he is nine goals away from Erling Haaland’s single-season record (34) and four assists short of matching the all-time record set by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry (20).

Manchester United avoided defeat with a 2-2 draw against Everton. Beto and Doucouré put the hosts ahead, but Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte equalized. A late penalty for Everton was overturned by VAR, leaving United still struggling in the lower half of the Premier League table. United Salvages a Draw Against Everton The game at Goodison Park started strongly for the hosts, as Everton took the lead in the 19th minute. A chaotic corner kick sequence saw seven headers inside the box before Abdoulaye Doucouré assisted Beto, who slotted the ball into the net. Manchester United failed to respond in the first half, and Everton doubled their lead with a well-executed play. Jack Harrison found himself one-on-one with the keeper, forcing Onana into a save, but the rebound went high, allowing Doucouré to head it home for 2-0. Fernandes and Ugarte Lead United’s Comeback United finally reacted in the second half, and in the 72nd minute, Bruno Fernandes stepped up for a free kick just outside the box, slightly to the left. The Portuguese midfielder struck the ball perfectly, curling it into the bottom left corner to make it 2-1. Then, in the 80th minute, another Fernandes set-piece caused trouble for Everton’s defense. His free kick cross was initially cleared, but the ball fell to Manuel Ugarte at the edge of the box. The Uruguayan midfielder controlled it, set himself up, and fired a powerful shot into the right post, leaving Pickford helpless as the ball hit the net for 2-2. VAR Denies Everton a Last-Minute Penalty Deep into stoppage time (90+5’), Everton was awarded a penalty after Ashley Young was fouled inside the box. However, after a VAR review, the referee reversed the decision, and the match ended level at 2-2. United Still Struggling in the Standings With this result, Manchester United remains 15th in the table with 30 points, tied with West Ham but ahead on goal difference. Meanwhile, Everton sits 14th with 31 points from 26 matchs.  Cover photo: X (@ManUdt)

Bayern Munich, Club Brugge, Benfica, and Feyenoord advanced to the Champions League Round of 16. Brugge stunned Atalanta, while Celtic and Benfica delivered thrilling performances. AC Milan was eliminated. The first set of knockout playoff matches in the UEFA Champions League has concluded, revealing the first four teams to secure their spots in the Round of 16. Bayern Munich, Club Brugge, Benfica, and Feyenoord emerged victorious and will now join the top eight teams from the overall group standings. Brugge Stuns Atalanta One of the biggest surprises came with Atalanta’s elimination. The Italian side, known for their competitive performances against Europe’s elite in previous editions, fell short in the playoffs. Club Brugge delivered a shocking 3-1 victory in the second leg, following up on their 2-1 win in the first leg. The Belgian club advanced with a 5-2 aggregate score and will now face either LOSC Lille or Aston Villa in the Round of 16. Celtic Fought Until the End Celtic also impressed, putting up a strong fight against Bayern Munich in Germany. The Scottish side took a surprising lead in the 63rd minute with a goal from Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn. However, Bayern Munich equalized deep into stoppage time, with Alphonso Davies scoring in the 94th minute to secure a 1-1 draw. With a 3-2 aggregate win, Bayern advanced and will meet either Bayer Leverkusen or Atlético Madrid in the next round. Goal Fest in Portugal The most entertaining clash came from Benfica and Monaco, producing a thrilling 3-3 draw. With Benfica holding a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg, the match saw multiple lead changes. The Portuguese side took an early lead, but Monaco equalized before halftime. The French side then went ahead 2-1, only for Benfica to level from the penalty spot. Monaco struck again for a 3-2 advantage, but Benfica found another equalizer in the 84th minute. Thanks to their first-leg win, Benfica progressed on aggregate and will now face either Barcelona or Liverpool in the next round. You may be interested in: Santi Scored, but AC Milan Crashed Out of the Champions League Milan Falls at Home AC Milan failed to overturn their 1-0 first-leg defeat against Feyenoord. Despite an early goal from Santiago Giménez at San Siro, Milan was held to a 1-1 draw. Feyenoord secured a 2-1 aggregate victory and advanced to face either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the Round of 16. Cover photo: X (@SLBenfica)

AC Milan, despite Santiago Giménez’s goal just 34 seconds into the match, was eliminated from the Champions League after a 1-1 draw against Feyenoord. Theo Hernández’s red card made the comeback difficult, and the aggregate score ended 2-1. In the first second-leg match of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, AC Milan failed to overturn their 1-0 deficit against Feyenoord. Despite taking an early lead in the return leg with a goal from Santiago Giménez, the Dutch side equalized to secure a 1-1 draw, advancing to the Round of 16 with a 2-1 aggregate victory. Santi Stands Among the Best “Bebote” wasted no time making an impact at San Siro, scoring just 34 seconds into the match. Off a set-piece play from a corner, Christian Pulisic delivered a precise cross from the edge of the box. The ball reached Malick Thiaw at the far post, who headed it across for the Mexican striker to nod home against his former team. Out of respect, Giménez refrained from celebrating, but the home crowd and his teammates erupted in excitement. A Costly Red Card for the Rossoneri Milan pushed hard for a second goal throughout the first half but couldn’t extend their lead. Early in the second half, at the 53rd minute, Theo Hernández received a through ball from Rafael Leão but went down in the box under minimal contact, attempting to deceive the referee. The official was unimpressed and showed the Frenchman a second yellow card, reducing Milan to 10 men and shifting the momentum. With the numerical advantage, Feyenoord took control. Giménez was substituted in the 71st minute, and just two minutes later, Hugo Bueno delivered a perfect cross from the left wing to Julián Carranza, who headed it past the goalkeeper, leveling the match and securing Feyenoord’s place in the next round. Despite Milan’s desperate attempts to equalize, Feyenoord’s solid defense and Milan’s numerical disadvantage sealed their fate. As a result, Santi’s team was knocked out of the Champions League, while his former club advanced to the next stage. Cover photo: X (@acmilan)

Santiago Giménez once again proved decisive for AC Milan, scoring the winning goal against Hellas Verona in his starting debut at San Siro. After a quiet performance in Milan’s UEFA Champions League loss against his former club, Feyenoord, Santi Giménez bounced back in Serie A, making a statement in his first start at San Siro. In a match where Milan struggled to find the net, the Mexican striker stepped up to secure the victory. Santi Secures the Win for Milan AC Milan dominated the match but couldn’t find the breakthrough until Santi Giménez took matters into his own hands—twice. First, in the 33rd minute, Malick Thiaw delivered a long ball into space. Giménez controlled it brilliantly and slotted a low shot past the keeper. The San Siro erupted, but celebrations were cut short as the linesman raised his flag for offside, ruling out the goal. Undeterred, Giménez and Milan kept pushing, but it wasn’t until the 75th minute that they finally broke through. After a well-orchestrated team play, Álex Jiménez lofted a precise ball to Rafael Leão, who raced into the six-yard box. Facing the advancing keeper, Leão squared the ball for Giménez, who calmly tapped it in, securing Milan’s 1-0 victory. The San Siro erupted again, chanting “Giménez, Giménez!” in celebration. The ovation continued when the Mexican striker was subbed off in the 82nd minute and once more at full-time. With this goal, Santi Giménez is proving his worth at Milan, making an impact in three of his four matches with two goals and one assist. Cover photo: X (@acmilan)